New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-24
THE LATE CONJURER, HERMANN
From The London Giobs,


He secmed to defy the impossible. | remember
once, on Change In Buenos Ayres where By the
way he was extensive and most unlucky operstor)
at an hour when tho building WAS crowded with men,
alter n short delay, On being challenged TO exhibit
some toyr dc force he lifted his hat and displayed
his own boot on his head-ths, DO 1t observed. with
out going near q table or, as tar As any one hal
noticed ,eeknQ any cvncealmeDt for bis bare foot or
opportunity TO remove his bat For special occasions
he spared no time. trouble or expense beforehand
that some feat might wear the appearance OF com
| plete spontaneity. Mention has already been made
Ia some Of the OF his casting the Sultans
watch into the Bosphorus. That did not witness
but was in Coustantinople when he dincd with the
british Minister and number OF other gentleman In
the course OF the meal he raised his glass when had
lust been filled with champagne above his head, and
attracting tho attention OF all present By crying Oh
what beautiful wine caused the champagne to sink
in the glass and Vanish; On oeng rep eni:nea; .ne
peared also Now, the glamor OF this seemed purely
Incidental to the situation, but happened to know
tn. orethought aud energy which mad been expended
over It, especially In connection With the dihcuites
of asccrtainng the precise pattern OF the champagne
glssscs likely to be used and Oh mAtoning sae%;;
Specaltes ike this planned TOR execution al al
the courts here his skill as msnfested, AUD there
ia nc doubt that his personal influence hs adrotness
and his s@traord mary familiarity with al tongues
and pstoi. we're invoked moro than once BY those In
authority for other cnda 49,
lie would never suffer- himself 70 be outdone by any
other necromancer hence hi. possession oil Apparatus
which he dospsed. His goldfish bow Ia were larger
than those OF other tone Delore me
as write now serves as sufncsntly capaeious ps.n
"A
thew worked with pigeons, he used fowls ana geese
and from the hat he would produce not merely I'm
goblets GARD board boxes and and compressoo Dsns,
but metal tea kettles and lighted lamps His singular
ly long spare body. admitted Of his dress coat Gun,
tanning two tiers Of loading pockets,' and Afforded
great facilities for concealment. When at Caro no
was rivalled BIZ q troupe OF Arab tnakecharmers;
and in spite OF his deesaton OF serpents he Ioroeu
himself to initiate their man@uvres WIN TWO coorse
from which the tauss had Deen taken Suoh was MS
horror of these reptiles however, that more IMAM once
he was impollod to rush IRON tho stage and ,'ar on
his coat where thev were lying. snugly slowed away
in the profoudes He designed an Ingenious wahd ior
ansformation into living snake rms was =
hollow tube painted black to resemble his usuai
magic wand A snake of suitable length was causeu
TO enter this, and % metal cap was screwed hrmiy oh
"a soon as lis tail was in The head would now pro-
icct abont an inch at the other END over %hoh .
looking exactly like an ord nary ebony patton. 10
tho screwed end fine silk ooid was attaohei, passing
M the sleeve across the chest beneath the snHt
and down thu other arm, where it was tied aronha
the wrist, the length being 80 adapted tnat M th
OF the wand being held with both hands whom the
arms were bent but effected its rapid witharawM up
the sleeve when the opposite arm Was e1tenuea
Zone OF the vanishiug bird cages Is mahapeu on =
similar principle Tie loose cap was 70 DC had
paIned with Isayl the left hand, the snakes mead
exposed, grasped and drawn forward, the action OF
extension causing tho wand to disappear. ING eneoe
yas marvellous, but he never used ~ IN PuoIo; "vt
wonId he avail himself OF the services Of coup'o ~
young boa constructors which tamed Ior nm $500
times turned cage full Of brilliant piacagec lana
gers iuto bloated swamp-toats, though no di1n' Ao
them either
certan manager of n menager died. and word was
sent his nati;e village that his reinains wou no
brought home for ntermcnt and mat t uy W ,h hoT
arrived however tho friends noticed that was very
larce-as large as q table, and exceedingly heavy 80